BEHIND THE BRIDGE AT THE GROVE: SHOWING OFF THEIR PERSEVERANCE ON NIGHT TWO AT SUMMER NATIONALS, THE JJR #41 TEAM OVERCOME OBSTACLES TO EARN A 14TH PLACE FINISH AND KSE HARD CHARGER

MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA (July 22, 2023) – With Chamber of Commerce type weather on Saturday, Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) crew made their way back to the historic Williams Grove Speedway for the championship finale of the Champion Racing Oil Summer Nationals. After racing the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 to a respectable fifth place finish during the preliminary feature on Friday night, the 27 year old California-born speedster was collaborating with his JJR #41 team to figure out and finalize their race strategy for the night. Meanwhile, the fans were mingling throughout the merchandise area in the infield and along the pit fence looking to choose what they wanted to purchase to show their support for their favorite driver. Over at the JJR merchandise trailer, Carson Macedo’s cool ‘Back in Black’ tee shirt design was a big hit. As the afternoon sun started it’s decent for the day, the last bit of the sunlight reflected off the 36 haulers that were situated throughout the two pit areas here at Williams Grove. It was about that time for the World of Outlaws Greatest Show On Dirt to take on the Pennsylvania Posse at “The Grove.”

With the lineup set for Low-E Insulation Qualifying, the race teams were busy getting ready for the night of high speed action. But the luck of the draw, the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Boltz Family/Winters Performance Products #41 Maxim with Carson Macedo behind the wheel would go out late as they would be the 27th car out on the track. He would be joined on the racing surface by Devon Borden in the Treyco Heavy Industrial #23. When his Kistler Engines power came to life with the assistance of a push truck, Carson gripped the wheel with his K1 Race Gear gloves and lowered his racing boot. The powerful thrust pushed him back into his Fibreworks Composite seat and he was digging towards the waving green flag on the already technical surface. The competition is so close in today’s racing that thousandths of a second matter. So each of the driver’s goal is to minimize their time around each lap. Carson did his best the first lap circling the half-mile oval in 18.450 seconds. It was not a great lap so he did not let up and was looking to do some time saving the next circuit. He raced down the backstretch and under the famous, and often times popular and controversial topic on social media, bridge. When he exited turn four he hustled the final distance to break the timing stripe in 18.466 seconds. The better of his two laps against the clock was only good enough to end 21st quick. Brad Sweet used his early draw to record the fastest lap of the night with a lap time of 17.633 seconds.

Aligned based on their best lap times in time trials, with the fastest drivers at the front of the pack, the lineups for the 8-lap heat races were posted. The forty-one of Carson Macedo would be situated in row three in the first of four heat races where the top five finishers transfer and the top two advance onto the dash later in the evening. Quick timer Brad Sweet was on the pole with Cory Eliason to his outside. Logan Schuchart and Justin Whittall lined up in row two. Robbie Price in the Sides Motorsports #7s pulled up alongside Carson Macedo’s Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 Maxim. Dylan Norris, Same Hafertepe, Jr. and Cameron Smith rolled into their starting spots behind row three.

The green flag waved with Brad Sweet driving into open air first. Carson squeezed in between Whittall and Price off turn four heading down the frontstretch. Coming out of turn two Sweet led the show with Carson getting shuffled back to his starting spot in sixth. The NAPA Auto Parts #49 driver was dominant and built his lead over Eliason and Schuchart. Carson was still working hard dicing with Dylan Norris and Justin Whittall. He needed to get by one of them if he wanted to lock down the final transfer spot. Unfortunately he was unsuccessful. Brad Sweet took the win over Eliason and Schuchart. Dylan Norris locked down a fourth place finish with Justin Whittall securing the final transfer spot. Carson came home sixth and was forced to the Last Chance Showdown (LCS).

Not earning a transfer position or an opportunity to race in the Toyota Dash, Carson would have to race his way into the feature through the Last Chance Showdown (LCS). He would get the Team Jack Foundation/High Performance Lubricants/Durst Inc. #41 Maxim started from the inside of row two from the third starting spot beside Devon Borden. Robbie Price in the #7s and Lance Dewease in the #69k were on the front row. When the green lights illuminated, it was Robbie Price driving into the lead with Dewease right behind. Carson was running in third with Borden right behind.

On lap 5, Carson raced by Dewease into the runner-up position and quickly set his sights on the leader. Robbie Price was setting a good pace as Carson began to find and piece together the stickiness in the turns. He was closing the gap and four laps later he caught Price and made the pass for the lead. The Albaugh #41 was out front and led the remaining laps to take the win in the LCS over Price, Dewease and Chase Dietz to move into that last two rows of the feature.

The horn sounded throughout the pit areas summoning the drivers to climb into their offices for the 30-lap Champion Racing Oil Summer Nationals championship finale feature event. As the JJR crew was finishing up their preparation of the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 there was a twist here, a turn there, and one last word of encouragement for their driver before he rolled back. They were ready. Carson had a lot of work to do but was ready. And, the fans in the stands were up on their feet ready to hoot and holler for their driver to win. It was time to go racing at Williams Grove Speedway!

After the Whiskey Myers four-wide salute to the fans, the field of cars reset and the green flag dropped. The first few laps are always exciting as the racing action is close with all the car bunched together. It is usually during this time when some fans fingernails get chewed down. The opening circuit was led by Rico Abreu in the #24. He was racing directly ahead of Spencer Bayston and Cory Eliason who were in full-on chase mode. Carson got to work right away and was wheeling the Albaugh #41 from the 18th spot in the running order and looking to claw his way forward.

He kept pushing himself and his Maxim Racing machine taking advantage of opportunities, big and small, to advance forward. By lap 5, Abreu was still at the front of the pack but Spencer Bayston was now under full pressure being applied by David Gravel. Brent Marks had raced his way up to fourth with Justin Peck racing in fifth. Carson had picked up two additional positions and was now running in 16th place.

David Gravel moved by Spencer Bayston to take over the runner-up position and smoothly and patiently started to race his way closer to the leader. With 10 laps to go, he was closing the gap as Brent Marks and Justin Peck were waging war in impressive fashion. Gravel was rolling high through turns one and two and balancing the gas on the low side in three and four. He was right there, but Rico held him off. Carson was still doing his thing and picked up another two positions with the forty-one now being scored in 14th place.

Rico Abreu held off David Gravel to take the Summer Nationals Championship night win with Brent Marks in the M&M Painting #19 standing on the last step of the podium. Spencer Bayston had a good run coming home fourth with Justin Peck rounding out the top five.

Carson made the best of his situation picking up seven positions from his 21st starting spot to finish in 14th place. While not the results they were working for entering the evening, they showed their persistence and perseverance and were rewarded with the KSE Hard Charger honors on this night. They will now focus and prepare for next weekend’s Empire State Challenge at Weedsport Speedway.

A 14th Place Finish in the Summer Nationals Finale at Williams Grove Speedway! Photo Credit: Trent Gower Photography

Albaugh, LLC; Border International; Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT); Saich Family; Tarlton and Son Inc.; Boltz Family; Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions; Durst Inc.; Liquid Trucking; Bandy & Associates Accountancy Corporation; Buckwalter Trucking, LLC; Jansen Transportation; Larry Davis Farms; Meyers Constructors Inc.; Mr. Jim’s Racing; RaceDiecast.com; Sam I Am; Team Jack Foundation; Mark Burch Motorsports; T-FAB Custom Metal Fabrication; Tiger Towing; All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads; AutoMeter; Bell Helmets; BMRS (Brown & Miller Racing Solutions); BR Motorsports; C&R Racing; Crow Enterprizes; Engler Machine & Tool, Inc.; Factory Kahne (FK Shocks); Fibreworks Composites; FK Rod Ends; Greber Racing Components; High Performance Lubricants, LLC; Hoosier Racing Tire; Indy Performance Composites (IPC); ISC Racers Tape; K1 Race Gear; Kistler Racing Engines; KSE Racing Products; Maxim Racing; Motor State Distributing; Premium Coach Group; Pro Powder Coating (PPC); Saldana Racing Products; Schoenfeld Headers; Smith Titanium; Vortex Racing Products; Walker Performance Filtration; Weld Racing; Wilwood Racing; Winters Performance Products; and, Xtreme Body and Paint.

To stay connected with Jason Johnson Racing (JJR), go to www.jasonjohnsonracing.com.

To stay up-to-date with Carson Macedo and his success journey on and off the track, as well as to purchase his gear and merchandise directly, visit www.carsonmacedoracing.com.